XCOM Slingshot DLC could bring players back to the Command Center

It’s interesting to see how downloadable content gets added to a game. Sometimes the entry point to the postlaunch missions are transparent. They’re shown locked away behind closed doors in the game world. Other times, they arrive in a subtle way via an odd email that leads to an investigation and a grand adventure.

With XCOM: Enemy Uknown and its Slingshot DLC, players will have to start from scratch. But that’s not a bad thing when it comes to XCOM, a strategy game where every choice creates a different experience and a new avenue for that just-one-more-turn addiction. The DLC, which will run you $6.99 on PSN/PC and 560 Microsoft Points on Xbox Live, offers players three new story-driven missions focused on a new character named Shaojie Zhang.

Once you start over, the content pops up as council missions. Players can choose to do them at any time, but it’s best to tackle them early because of the rewards involved. In the first mission, players are actually sent to rescue Zhang who is carrying some mysterious gear.

Meet Zhang, you’ll have to rescue him, but once he joins the squad, he becomes a powerful ally.

THREE DISTINCT MAPS: Immediately upon landing, players will notice that each of the new missions have maps specifically built for it. They’ll notice the Chinese stone lions and the Chinese characters on the storefronts. In the rescue mission, Zhang, who is a member of the Triad, doesn’t seem like much. He acts like any other civilian whom you have to get to safety. The missions are surprising and difficult. Slender men drop in behind and at the side of you. If you’re too aggressive or don’t have enough people on Overwatch, you can die.

The second mission also takes place in China and continues Zhang’s storyline. I won’t get into it to avoid spoilers, but the basic premise is that players have to touch five transponders within 10 turns. It’s similar to the bomb missions in the previous council quests. But this second mission takes place in a train station. The setting creates an interesting scenario where a squad has to travel up empy rail cars while fighting Mutons and Slender Men while also activating the transponders. It’s a lot to juggle.

The new maps have been made with this DLC in mind.

A POWERFUL SQUAD MEMBER: But Zhang is a big help for your team. After the first mission, he’ll join your squad as a heavy class lieutenant. Players will be able to customize him however they want though, choosing abilities in the skill tree. Also part of the DLC is the customizable heavy armor sets that can get fairly elaborate. But through it all, Zhang will feature his own distinct voice and personality though players don’t necessarily have to use him.

The third mission wraps up the Zhang story arc. It happens aboard an alien battleship while it’s traveling through the Chinese air space. It’s one of the more impressive levels visually as you can see the city below while fighting enemies aboard the ship. The goal in this mission is to disable it and capture the technology. Like the other levels in the Slingshot pack, it’s difficult, but the rewards are useful.

Flying through the air, you can see the land moving below you.

Finishing the DLC will give players access to the Fusion Lance and Fusion Core early in the game. They also get the Blast Launcher earlier. This will make your squad powerful than would be expected and it also helps their survivability. With the better gear, I’m sure it’ll be easier going through the Ironman mode.